Switch receptacle



Jan. 12, 1932.

H. HU BBELL SWITCH RECEPTACLE Filed MW. 28. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Jan. 12, 1932 Urreo STATES PATENT OFFICE HARVEY, HUBBELL, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT; LOUIE E. HUBBELL EXECUTRIX OF SAID HARVEY. HUBIBELL, DECEASED SWITCH RECELPTAGLE Application filed November 28, 1927. Serial No. 236,106.

of line 3-3 of Fig. 4 but showing the switch This invention relates to electric switch and outlet devices and has for an object to provide a device of this character having a toggle switch which is operated by a member mounted to turn about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the toggle.

It is also an object of the invention to pro vide in combination with this toggle switch a receptacle for use with an attachment plug cap, which receptacle comprises an insulating body member projecting forwardly from the face plate so that it may be graspedby the hand for turning it, and is connected to the toggle switch for operating same.

t is a further object of the invention to provide improved means for operating a toggle switch which may also be employed as an outlet receptacle, thus providing a switch and receptacle or outlet in a single structure which may be mounted in a standard single outlet box and which will require no more space in an outlet box than'any single one of the usual types of switches or receptacles would require.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this character which may be wired so that the switch may control a circuit independent of the receptacle circuit, or may be wired to control the receptacle circuit.

YVith' the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device showing it in position in the face plate.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device with the faceplate removed.

Fig. 3 is a section substantially on line 33 of Fig. 4 and showing the connections from the house lighting system and for controlling a circuit separate from the receptacle.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section substantially on line 44 of Fig. 2, but showing the face plate in position.

Fig. 5 is a section substantially on line 55 of Fig. 2 but showing the switch in the on position.

Fig. 6 is a section substantially in the plane as wired for controlling the receptacle circult, the receptacle itself being removed, and Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the recep= tacle and body member showing the contacts carried on the inner end thereof.

This device comprises the usual body member 10 of insulating material having a chamber 11 in which the switch mechanism is mounted. It is usually carried by a yoke 12 through screws 13 which pass through openings 14 in the body and are threaded into the yoke. This yoke is secured to the outlet box, not shown, by screws in the usual manner and the face plate 15 is secured to the yoke by screws 16. The switch mechanism is operated by the body member 17 also of insulating material extending through an opening in this face plate and projecting forwardly therefrom, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a suflicient distance so that it may be grasped by the operator for turning it to operate the switch. The side walls of this member may be provided with suitable recesses 18 to form a better grip and also improve its appearance.

The switch may be either a single or double switch as shown in Figs. 3 and 6 respectively, the operating mechanism being the same in both cases. In thearrangement of Fig. 3 suitable contact elements 19 and 20' are mounted in suitable recesses or on shoulders 21 in the body 10 and these contacts carry binding screws 22 and 23 respectively for connection to lead'wires as will later be described. The contact element 19 has an inward and downward extension 24 for engagement with one end of the movable switch contact 25, while the contact element 20 has an extension 26 to engage the other end of the switch member so these two extensions contact elements or a separate strap connected to them.

The receptacle body member 17 is also made of insulating material and has an outer shoulder 32 resting against the outer surface of the yoke 12 and the reduced portion 33 extending through an opening in this yoke. At its inner end are mounted metal segments 34 and 35 which are secured to the member 17 by any suitable means, such as rivets 36, molded into the member 17 passing through openings in the segments and then spun over, as indicated in Fig. 7, to secure the segments to the member. The contact members 20 and 27 are provided with extensions 37 and 38 extending at their free ends over the segments 35 and 34 respectively so as to prevent separating the body 17 from the body 10. To make good electrical contact, however, spring conducting members 39 are clamped under each of the elements 20 and 27 by the securing screws therefor and form sliding electrical connection between these elements and the segments 34 and 35. It will be noted from Fig. 5 that the free ends of these spring contacts engage the outer walls of the segments and tendto force them to the left as viewed in this figure, or inwardly, and therefore, in addition to forming sliding electrical contact with the segments'to permit turning movements of the member 17 they hold the body member 17 with its shoulder 32 against the outer surface of the opening 12, and therefore, hold it in proper position.

The movable bodymember 17 is provided with recesses or sockets 40 in which are mounted the spring; receptacle contacts 41 which are electrically connected respectively to the segments 34 and 35through the conducting rivets 42. In its front wall the body 17 is provided with slots 43 leading to the sockets '40 and contacts 41 for entrance of the contact blades 44 (Fig. 5) of an attachment plug cap connected to any suitable attachment which it is desired to be operated.

The'movable switch member 25 is operated by any suitable type of toggle mechanism to give a quick make and break action. This toggle mechanism is shown more clearly in Fig. 6. The switch member 25 is mounted on a transversely extending rocking member 45 and, of course, is suitably insulated theretake the wear of the operation of the lever off the material of the member 17, a substantially U-shaped member 52 is mounted in this recess and has conical lugs 53 on the opposite side arms thereof to engage the opposite sides of the lever and provide pivotal bearings with this lever.

It will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 3 that if one of the lead wires 54 from the house wiring system is connected to the contact element 20 through the binding screw 23 and the other lead 55 from the house system is connected to the contact 28 through thebinding screw 30 the receptacle contacts 41 are connected to the house system through the spring contacts 39 and the segments 34 and 35, and the switch therefor will not control the circuit to these contacts. However, if the ceiling or other lamp 56 is connected to the contact members 19 and 27 through the leads 58 this circuit to the lamp will be controlled by the switch member 25.

It is preferred to place on the front wall of the receptacle body 17 an indicating means, such as a-pointer or dot 59, coopcrating with indications 60 on the face plate to indicate when the switch is on or off.

In the wiring, indicated in Fig. 6, the same mechanism is used to control the circuit through the receptacle contacts 41. In this arrangement the rocking member 45 carries an additional movable switch contact 61 on its opposite end from the contact 25 adapted to bridge the contact members 27 and 28' corresponding to the contact members 27 and 28 of Fig. 3, but these members instead of being connected by a conducting strap have extensions 52 and 63 respectively which are adapted to be engaged by the switch member 61 to bridge these members 27 and 28. It will thus be apparent that if one of the leads as 54. from the house wiring system is con nected to the member 19 and the other lead 55 is connected to the member 28' the two switch members 25 and 61 will control the circuit to the receptacle contacts 41. In this arrange ment binding crews 23 and 29 on the contact members 20 and 27 of r ig. 3 are omitted so that the man making the connections will have no trouble in determining to which members the leads are to be connected.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that in operation turning movements of the receptacle body member 17 will operate the switch through the lever 48. That is, if the member 17 is given a partial rotation to the right or clockwise as Viewed Fig. 1, from the position of this figure it will operate the switch to the on position with the indication 60 opposite the indication on the face plate, and movement in the opposite direction from the on position will open the switch. As the body projects forwardly from the face plate where it may be grasped by the operator the switch may be operated independently of the attachment plug cap used with the receptacle. It will also be noted that the toggle switch is operated by turning movements of the member 17 which turns about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the toggle mechanism. Still further the device may be wired so that the switch will control either the circuit to the receptacle contacts or an independent circuit, in which latter case the receptacle contacts are alive at all times. It will thus be evident that this device comprises a control switch and an outlet receptacle which has all the functions of these two elements but requires no more space in an outlet box than is ordinarily required for one of these devices alone.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is 1. An electrical switch comprising an insulating block adapted to be mounted in a standard wall outlet box, an oscillating switch member mounted in the block, a toggle device including a spring for operating said member, a rocking lever connected to said toggle device for operating it, a yoke mounted on the front of the block, a manually operable member mounted to turn in the yoke about an axis substantially parallel with the plane of the toggle, an operativeconnection between said member and the lever, and said yoke including means whereby it may be secured to a wall outlet box to mount the block, switch mechanism and operating member in the box as a unit.

2. In an electrical switch device, an insulating block, a movable switch member mounted therein, a toggle device including a spring for operating said member, an operating member mounted to turn about an aXis substantially parallel to the plane of said toggle, means for mounting said member on the block, said operating member being composed of insulating material with recesses therein and openings in its front wall leading to said recesses, receptacle contacts in said recesses, and an operative connection from said member to said toggle device for operating the switch.

8. In an electrical switch, an insulating block, an oscillating switch member mounted in the block, a toggle device including a spring for operating said member, a rock ing lever connected to said toggle device for operating 1t, a yoke secured to the block, an insulating body member mounted for turning movements in the yoke and having reesses and contact blade openings in its front wall leading to said recesses, receptacle contacts mounted in said recesses, and an operative connection between said body member and the lever.

4. In an electric switch, an insulating block, a movable switch member in the block,

stationary contacts cooperating therewith,

means for operating the switch member including a rocking lever, a body member of insulating material mounted to turn about an axis extending transversely of the axis about which the lever rocks, means for connecting the body member with the block, receptacle contact-s mounted in said member, means for electrically connecting lead wires with the stationary contacts and t 1e receptacle contacts, said member having contact bladev openings in its front wall leading to said contacts, and an operative connection between said body member and the lever for operating the lever.

5. In an electric switch, in combination, an insulating block, a face plate, a movable switch member mounted in the block to os cillate in a plane transverse the plane of the plate, a body'member of insulating material cztending through the plate and extending forwardly therefrom to form a grip, means for connecting the body member with the block, said member being mounted to turn about an axis substantially normal to the plate, receptacle contacts mounted in said member, said member having contact blade openings in its front wall leading to said contacts, and an operative connection between the operating member and the switch member.

6. In an electric switch, an insulating block, switch mechanism mounted in said block, a yoke at the front of the block provided, with an opening, an insulating'body member having a reduced portion mounted to turn in said opening and forming a shoulder resting against the front of said yoke, said body having recesses and guide openings leading thereto, receptacle contacts mounted in said recesses, metal plates mounted on said body and electrically connected with said contacts, spring conductors engaging the outer walls of said plates and tending to press said shoulder against the yoke, and an operative connection from the insulating body member to the switch mechanism.

7. In an electric switch, an insulating block, switch mechanism mounted in said block, a yoke at the front of the block provided with an opening, an insulating body member having a reduced portion mounted to turnin said opening and forming a shoulder resting against the front of said yoke, said body having recesses and guide openings leading thereto, receptacle contacts mounted in said recesses, metal segment plates mounted on said body and electrically connected with said contacts, a plurality of contact elements mounted on said block, certain of said elements having an extension projecting over said plates, spring conductors associated with certain of said elements and engaging said plates to form electrical contact therewith, said conductors tending to move the body member inwardly, and an operative connection from the body member to the switch mechanism.

8. In an electric switch, an insulating block, switch mechanism mounted in said block, a yoke secured to the block, means for operating the switch mechanism including a lever mounted to rock about an axis substantially parallel with the plane of the yoke, an insulating body member mounted for turning movements in the yoke, said lever having an extension, and eccentrically arranged means on the body member arranged to cooperate with said extension to rock the lever by turning movements of said body member.

9. In an electric switch, an insulating block, switch mechanism mounted in said block, a yoke secured to said block and having an opening therethrough, means for operating the switch mechanism including a rocking lever, an insulating receptacle body member having a reduced portion mounted to turn in said opening and providing a shoulder to engage the outer surface of the yoke, receptacle contacts carried by said body member and said member having guide openings in its front wall leading to said contacts, metal plates mounted on said body member and connected with the receptacle contacts, spring conductors mounted on the block and engaging the outer Walls of said plates to form electrical contact therewith and hold the body in the yoke, said body carrying eccentrically located shoulders cooperating with the lever to rock said lever by turning movements of the body member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARVEY HUBBELL. 

